Needless to say I loved this segment. The naïveté of Joseph Park thinking that “politicking” means having posters and buttons and an actual campaign is downright adorable, but the best part is Hogan’s reaction to Joe asking if he can count on his vote.

I feel like this is the most natural we’ve seen Hulk Hogan be…pretty much ever on a wrestling television show, and these moments of seemingly genuine emotion are what really elevates his storyline above most others on television right now.

(I have made a Republican variant, because just like TNA, my sh-tty jokes were only relevant 4+ months ago)

Worst: Gainful Employment

JOSEPH PARK HAD A Q&A AND I WAS AT WORK

WORST. WORST FOREVER.

The Q&A was pretty great, and I learned a lot of adorable things about Joseph Park, but ugh, stupid work and needing to pay bills and buy food and stuff. It was actually pretty brilliant and reminded me of things in his storyline that even I, the Internet’s Foremost Joseph Park Scholar and Best Friend Wannabe, had forgotten. It filled in some blanks (like what kind of law he practicesw, and…well…just look:

Here’s my absolute favorite thing about this B/W in all seriousness, Danielle. This is a world (an internet world) that is always trying to give me reasons to dislike Hulk Hogan. And that sucks, because I’ve lived for 29 years and of course there were a number of years in there where I loved Hulk Hogan. Just looking at his name conveys to me the importance that he’s had in my life. The name is still so much larger than life. And you have written things that are that rarest of things these days, “reasons to like Hulk Hogan.” For those, I am thankful, because it makes a part of my insides extremely happy.

As one of my favorite people I’ve met here, seriously you’re a cool dude, it’s so weird that we’re both 29 and have been wrestling fans for our entire lives and I only really saw Hulk Hogan when I was a teenager.

It’s so weird that us WCW kids had a totally different childhood than you WWF kids. I feel like we’re in the Middle East or something and we should send our children to summer camp together so that we maybe have a chance for peace sometime in our future.

What I’m trying to say is that outside of a 6 month period Hulk Hogan has sucked and Sting is the best.

The crazy thing is that I wasn’t strictly a WWF or WCW kid. It was really equal parts. You sure don’t have to sell me on Sting, either. He was every bit as important to me as Hulk at that age. Even then, I enjoyed his matches more because I just assumed Hulk couldn’t lose. The Stinger Splash was the greatest thing ever. One of the worst punishments I ever had in my life that I vividly remember was that I wasn’t allowed to watch the first hour of Superbrawl III for being a little jerk. I was always both, though just by sheer video rental availability probably slightly more WWF. But it was WWF that drove me away from wrestling and WCW that brought me back (when I heard Hulk was a “bad guy.”)

The difference is, and it’s why I focused on Hogan, the years haven’t driven a wedge between my memories and Sting. When I spent a few years as “jaded smark”, there still wasn’t “reasons I should not like Sting”. Basically, Sting has never needed redemption with me and Hogan has. That’s why it’s important for me to find that where I can, because whether he sucked or not he was still an important part of my childhood.

Count me down as a ditto to Phillip. The my dad took me to my first wrestling show on my 12th birthday (1988) and the main event was Hogan v Savage. Oh my word how much I loved Hogan. I even started a chant, you see Savage had Hogan in a sleeper and he really needed the crowd behind him to come up with the energy to break the hold. I of course as a good little hulkamaniac realized the situation and started chanting for Hogan WAY before the other 20,000 people there thought of it.

I forgot my point, oh yeah I still really want to cheer for Hogan it’s just he’s so busy being a total douche that he rarely give me the chance. Maybe twice a year on Impact he actually shows a bit of that old Hogan magic and it’s fantastic.

I’m forming a Kickstarter to get Joe Park to be my stepdad. On alternating weekends I’ll get to go over to his house and we’ll hang out, play board games, go out for pizza, and stay up late drinking soda and watching PG-13 movies that my mom won’t let me see.

If they do this right(and they won’t, it’s TNA) the Joseph Park story-line could be one of the great angles of all-time. If he goes along this Rudy path for awhile and rises through the ranks of TNA and wins in great babyface fashion, that would be great. But its his championship reign that could be ultra memorable, His obsession with being champion could lead to a slow heal turn where he starts doing more and more terrible things to remain champion, until he finally became totally evil, Abyss as Joesph Park. TNA will fuck it up, but man that would be great.

Well yeah TNA will fuck it up and try to do a shocking heel turn, but a true descent into darkness turn for one of the mostlikeable characters in wrestling would be fantastic. I’m envisioning an Anakin turn, with the TNA championship standing in for Padme, maybe Hogan as Obi Wan, and Bully Ray as the Emperor. It could be magical. Joesph Park is a kajillion times the Actor Hayden Christiansen ever was.

I know it won’t happen but I really hope we find out that Joseph Park isn’t Abyss and is actually Abyss’ twin brother. Kinda like I hope we find out that it was a CGI Paul Heyman paying off the Shield.

yeah .. this is my favourite one of all your reviews up to now danielle :)

I always (… ok, most of the time .. I mean I can’t be the only one that loved and actully cared about the rvd vs superkick james storm match, can I ?!) agree with you on everything ! and it makes me more happy to see (or read) that you’re happy !!

It’s strange. Impact is overall a better-written show than Raw these days, but I’m lukewarm about it, while Raw makes me feel feelings.

I guess I’m one of those types that wants the chase. Raw runs away from me and my interests, so I get all worked up about catching it, while Impact is just sitting there, easily attainable and much less interesting for it.

1) The blossom Twins T-Shirt needs to be available in pink, though I’ve said this before…

2) I’ve recently begun marking out for Rob Terry for some unknown reason, and want so bad for the Robbies to show up to the ring wearing “Swole-Mates” shirts… (I recently ordered some for me and my workout partner) —- [skreened.com]

Fantastic write up Diamante, I think it’s my favorite so far. 2 or 3 random thoughts on the show.

Back when they were beer money I never thought Roode would be the break out guy. I always thought Storm was the star. Now Storm’s just the guy in a goofy hat spinning his wheels and Roode is freaking awesome. Him and A Double are amazing together.

I like Magnus and I’m always happy when he gets the hero’s welcome in England. I thought him and Samoa Joe made a great tag team, hell I liked London Brawling. I’d rather see Magnus on TV over the retreads who don’t give a shit like RVD and Mr Anderson.

Christopher Daniels is so money right now. It’s amazing to watch. When I first started watching TNA (way back in the fox sports days) I couldn’t stand the guy man was I wrong. Sometimes I actually feel bad for him that he’s not given a bigger spotlight to shine. If Daniel Bryan and CM Punk can make it in the WWE why not Daniels?